Extension car-step.



No. 630,764. Patented Aug. 8, 1399. A. c. WREDE &. n. R. SAUNDERS.

EXTENSION CAR STEP.

(Application filad Feb. 7, 1899.) (N 0 M 0 d e l UNITED STATES,

PATENT. FFICE.

ALBIN O. VREDE AND DAVID R. SAUNDERS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS OFONE-THIRD TO JEFFERsONNpMlLLER AND GEORGE KIDD, OF SAME PLACE.

EXTENSION CAR-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,764, dated August8, 1899. Application filed February 7,1899. Serial No. 704,833. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

steps and to provide a simple, inexpensive,

and efficient one adapted for use on streetcars and railway-coaches andcapable of being readily operated to extend it beyond the permanentcar-steps and to fold it compactly beneath the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficientdevice adapted for holding the step in its extended and folded.

positions and to provide a cushion to prevent the extension-step frombeinginj ured should it come in contact with an elevated platform. Theinvention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ofan extension-stepconstructed in accordance with this invention and shown'applied to acar, the step being in its extended position. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same, the step being folded. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewof the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the friction device. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sectional view of the extension-step, illustrating themanner of mounting the cushion. L

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a horizontal rock-shaft jour.

naled in suitable bearings 2 at the back of car-steps 3 and providedbetween its ends with a pair of arms 4, which are connected withrearwardly-extending arms 5 of an extension-step 6, and the latterissu'spended from the front of thelowermost car-step by links 7, wherebywhen the horizontal rocktion of those steps.

shaft is partially rotated to swing its arms & upward and downward theextension-step will be carried-inward and outward to arrange it in itsfolded position beneath the lowermost car-step and to extend it toform acontinua- The arms 5 of the exten-. sion-step consist of rods havingtheir lower ends-bent at an angle and secured to the lower face of theextension-step 6, and their upper ends are hinged to the arms .4 by aknuckle-joint, the arms 5 being preferably bifurcated and the arms 4.being reduced'to fit insuch'bifurcations.

The links 7, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the bottom of thecar-steps, are similarly connected to the extension-step at the rearedge thereof, being preferably formed integral with a pintle-rod 8,forming with the same a swinging frameforsupportingtheextension-step.The pintle-rod 8 passes through perforations or eyes of plates 9, whichare secured to the end edges of the extension-step and which projectbeyond the rear edge of the same.

The outerend of the rock-shaft is provided with an operating-arm 10,forming a handle and adapted to be oscillated to swing theextension-step outward and inward, and it is provided with a weight 11and is arranged to swing to opposite sides of the rock-shaft, whereby itis adapted to lock the step 6 in its extended and folded positions. Whenthe extension-step is folded, the weight is at its lowermost position,and there is no liability of it accidentally'swinglng upward andpermitting the step to be projected outward when a car is in motion, andin order to prevent absolutely any vibration of a car affecting therock-shaft the latter is provided with a log 11 arranged adjacent to itsouter end, engaging a spring 12. ,The lug or arm is tapering, as shown,and its extremity is engaged by the lower free end of the spring whenthe step is folded. The upper end of the spring is secured to anL-shaped plate 13, which is attached to the outer side of the carsteps,as shown, and the inner end of the lug or arm forms a shoulder, which isengaged by the spring when the step is extended to prevent the same fromaccidentally folding.

The plates 9 are provided at their front ends with depending projectionsor lugs 14, having slots 15 to receive the ends of the spring 16,arranged beneath the step and bowed to form a cushion, whereby the stepis prevented from beinginjured should it come in contact with a highplatform when it is swung downward and outward. The ends of the spring16 play freely through the slots 15 and are provided at the outer facesof the plates with suitable stops 17 to prevent them from becomingdisengaged from the plates 9.

The invention has the following advantages: The folding step, which issimple and inexpensive in construction, is applicable to street-cars andrailway passenger-coaches and is capable of being readily extended toits operative position and folded beneath the carsteps out of the waywhen it is not needed. The operatingarm of the rock-shaft serves to holdthe step in both positions, and the friction device prevents anyvibration of the car from afi'ecting the position of the parts. Thecushion at the bottom of the extension-step is adapted to prevent thesame from being injured should it be thrown outward into contact with ahigh platform.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of this invention, such as employing a spring, rubber, orother form of cushion between the extension-step and the permanent stepsto prevent the for merfrom vibrating when a train is in motion.

What we claim is- 1. The combination with the permanent steps of a car,of a rock-shaft mounted thereon and provided with crank-arms, means forrotating said rock-shaft, means for holding said shaft in the positionto which it may be turned, an extension-step, a pintle-rod journaled onthe rear edge of the extension-step, links extending upward from theends of said pintle-rod and having their upper ends pivoted to thebottom of the car-steps, and upwardly and rearwardly extending armssecured to the bottom of the extension-step near the ends of the sameand having their upper ends pivoted to the ends of the crank-arm of therock-shaft, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an extension-step, of a rock shaft connected with thesame and adapted to swing the step inward and outward, a lug carried bythe rock-shaft, and a spring engaging the ln g and adapted to hold therockshaft against movement, substantiallyas described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with thepermanent steps of a car, of a rock-shaftjournaled in suitable bearingson the car, an extension-step provided with links and suspended from thecar-steps, and arms connected together and mounted respectively on thestep and on the rockshaft, a lug carried by the rock-shaft, a springengaging the lug and adapted to hold the rock-shaft against movement,and a weighted arm carried by the rock-shaft and adapted to hold theextension-step in eitherof its positions, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, an extension-step provided at itslower face with a cushion arranged to engage a platform to prevent theextension-step from being injured, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, an extension-step provided at itsbottom with a bowed spring, having its ends slidingly connected with thestep, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of anextension-step provided at opposite sides with depending slotted plates,and a spring having its ends extended through the slots of the platesand provided beyond the same with stops, said spring being bowed betweenthe plates and arranged to form a cushion, substantially as described.

'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a permanentstep, an extension-step mounted thereon, and a cushion for theextension-step, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBIN O. WVREDE. DAVID R. SAUNDERS.

\Vitnesses:

l ZI'NDLER, En. ROLLE.

